Eileen Chan and Jade Mellor

What this episode covers

Over the holiday break we're looking back over some of the more fascinating conversations featured in this series with two student stories highlighted in each episode. These bite sized snapshots are a bit like your favourite holiday photos – a reminder of a memorable moment and a chance to revisit that experience again. This episode features two students who, despite some very significant obstacles in their lives have carved their own path and in many ways against the odds. Eileen Chan grew up as a hidden child away from her parents because of China’s one child policy. To this day she cannot use her parent’s surname and doesn’t even have a birth certificate to prove who she is, no wonder she’s been so determined to independently forge her own identity. Now studying Social Work at Griffith University, Eileen is dedicating her working life to help others who may be struggling to cope within society. Jade Mellor also has a very independent spirit underpinned by a remarkable strength and resilience of character. At the age of seven Jade was diagnosed with epilepsy and while its effects were undeniably visible Jade has always been determined to ensure that she would live a normal life without letting the condition define her. Many drugs had been prescribed for Jade over the years, but none of them proved successful as her body increasingly became immune to their effects. Then in her early 20’s a new doctor suggested brain surgery, a procedure that by its very nature carried substantial risk, but if successful would prove to be life changing. It’s been four years since that surgery and Jade is now living her dream life, having recently graduated as a qualified carpenter from TAFE on the Gold Coast.